Empty Chairs at Empty Tables
by Goddess Bless
Summary: HPBAU. The battle is over, Harry 1 Voldemort 0. Or was it really? Once the world was saved, Harry is left alone. Who really won? A heart felt confession of isolation in the great hall made for an intresting retribution between enemies? slash HPDM
1. Empty Chairs at Empty Tables

**A/N:** This is an experiment while I'm avoiding writing my fmahp that I have going. Don't worry you, the sixth chapter just needs to be edited before it can be posted. But I don't wanna do it so nah. Anyway, this is going to be a short little series if people liked it, I have the recording of him singing the song if you want to hear it, it sounds like a normal choir boys voice instead of those amazing Josh Groban things. Cause let me tell you, he basically lived with his voice teachers. Anyway, feedback would be nice.

**Rating:** PG-13

**Warning:** Slash, maybe. Swearing. Some sexual content and I just mean him getting a boner.

**Song:** 'Empty Chairs at Empty Tables' from Les Mise'rables.

**Couple:** DM/HP Maybe! RW/HG

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He was sitting on one of the benches in the empty Great Hall. The deafening silence seemed to be accented by the barren and freshly washed tables. Dinner would be starting soon, so the floating candles were lit but none held heat, no one should have been in the room at that moment. His head rested on one of the long tables tears glistening. He was surrounded by people, but alone. After he had won the battle, defeated their great over lord. The people of the wizarding world had deserted him. Now what was his use? His purpose?

His best friends, for they still boasted themselves as such had vanished without a trace from his life. No smiles in the hallways, no waves. Just nothingness. He knew what was going on in their lives only because he was so quiet now, why was there need to speak? They were together, getting married once school ended. No one had told him they were engaged, or even together. He found out they were together when he walked in on them in a classroom. The reason for him heading into that classroom was to cut himself. To relieve some of the tension and hopelessness he felt.

The cutting had stopped only when he became addicted to it. He was not going to become dependant on anything else ever again. Never again would he put his faith in, trust in something. Even something like cutting, that for a moment in time masked his pain. It would one day too fail. Sitting up he tilted his eyes back head cast towards the ceiling eyes closed.

_"There's a grief that can't be spoken_

_There's a pain goes on and on_

_Empty chairs at empty tables_

_Now my friends are dead and gone."_

Unbeknownst to Harry the warmth in the room had risen and the castle's occupants were at the door watching the boy sing with his eyes closed.

_"Here they talked of revolution_

_Here it was they lit the flame_

_Here they sang about 'tomorrow'_

_And tomorrow never came."_

He stood up wearily eyes cast towards the head table, and behind that, the stained glass windows that showed the light so innocently, he walked up the dias and put a hand on the old polished wood.

_"From the table in the corner_

_They could see a world reborn_

_And they rose with voices ringing._

_And I can hear them now!"_

He turned sharply and faced the open doors eyes wide and unseeing, glazed over with clouds of tears. His hands clenched in pain as memories washed over him.

_"The very words that they had sung_

_Became their last communion."_

His head dropped to the side remembering being alone those final moments on the battle front.

_"On the lonely barricade, at dawn!_

_Oh my friends, my friends forgive me."_

He looked up to the sky through the ceiling, his friends were there.

_"That I am hear and you are gone._

_There's a grief that can't be spoken_

_There's a pain that goes on and on!"_

He cast his arm out angrily, all the feeling that he had towards the society that destroyed him, the society he saved, the society who abandoned him.

_"Phantom faces at the window_

_Phantom shadows on the floor_

_Empty chairs at empty tables_

_Where my friends will meet no more."_

His hands went up to grip his hair painfully as he sunk to his knees almost screaming,

_"Oh my friends, my friends, don't ask me!_

_What your sacrifice was for_

_Empty chairs at empty tables_

_Where my friends will sing no more."_

A choked sob tore from his throat and his body fell over exhausted by the emotions that coursed through him.

Hermione and Ron broke from the amassed crowd and raced over to the young man. Ron helped Harry sit up and Hermione put her hand under his chin, every bit the show of a concerned friend. "Harry, we aren't dead see. Your friends are still here." Harry shook his head and slapped her hand away before shoving Ron off and standing.

"My friends are dead. I don't know who you are, but my friends died the night Voldemort died. You're just living in their shells; a parasite." Ron sputtered and turned purple rearing back to hit him. Harry moved quickly and hit a few keys points before pushing Ron over. Ron who now was unable to move glared at him in pure loathing. Turning back to the doors Harry started to walk down from the head table's dias. Passing Hermione, who had backed away from the stinging blow, Harry turned to her. "Hermione. Who would understand more about their parents being murdered?" She atleast had the shame to avert her eyes to the floor.

Harry walked towards the crowd, who split upon his approach. "Harry wait." Hermione called. He stopped if only out of respect for the friendship they once had. "I'm sorry."

Harry didn't turn back but put his hand on the door frame as if to support all his burdens. "As am I Hermione. I'm sorry the person you once were has become one of the fallen." With that he left the hall alone and broken.

* * *

He stepped up onto the platform and tightened his cloak around him, trying to draw as much heat as he could from it. There he was, the boy of mystery. His tiny form was sitting back against a wall staring upwards bathed in the setting moon's quiet moonlight. It was an ethereal image that took Draco's breath away. Going over to the form, who still hadn't acknowledged his presence, Draco unsnapped his cloak and sat down drawing it over the both of them. Harry looked up startled, and into a very different looking pair of grey eyes. "Potter..." Draco started then sighed.

"Potter, I'm not dead, but nor was I ever alive." He stuck his hand out into the nippy air. "Would you befriend the reborn?"

Harry stared at the boy for a moment searchingly, then hesitantly took the hand. He didn't know what had compelled him to take that hand, didn't he promise himself never to care again? "We can be reborn together." The sun blazed over the curtain of hills and as they shook the day was reborn into a new beginning.

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What did you think? 


	2. A Few Weeks Passed

**A/N: I know this is a short chapter, but my ideas for this story is limited and I think I'm going to end off this story in maybe six more chapters and probably with Harry making his first cd. Maybe Draco will become a thespian too. Who knows! I sure don't. Well, give me feed back, and feed me ideas on this. As I said, this is a short little side story and I hope you'll like it.**

"Eat you fucking bastard."Draco'sfrustration showed through while heshoved some food towards the underfed young man before him.

"I told you, I'm not hungry."

"You skin and bones, a starving yourself to death is not an option."

"I'm not starving myself, I'm just not hungry."

Draco poked Harry through his hole ridden shirt and Harry winced feeling a nail nick a barely skinned rib. "Fine." Draco nodded satisfied as the young man started to reluctantly eat his thick soup. They were sitting in the kitchen and Draco had an apron wrapped around his torso. Cooking was the only thing he had been allowed to learn the muggle way. And right now, Harry was eating his potato and ham soup, with some lovely red peppers in it.

"Good?" He asked and Harry nodded while taking another bite vigorously. Okay, so maybe he was a bit hungry, if only a wee bit. Draco smirked as Harry continued to wolf down the food. "'_Thank you Draco. You're the best friend in the world.'"_ Draco mimicked Harry in a ridiculously high pitch voice.

A second later a spoon had cracked down over his head, "Now, now." Harry grinned viciously. "We don't want to be mean do we?" His grin turned to a smirk as Draco glared at him. "Oh, don't glare at me my little phoenix. You're face is going to stick that way one day." Harry said in a great aunt tone and a tug on his cheeks.

"Bastard."

"Ponce."

"Dick."

"Prick."

"Golden boy."

"Pretty boy."

"Gryffindor."

"Slytherin."

They glared at each other heatedly. "Aw, is the ferret angry?" Harry asked mockingly. Draco lost his composure and ended up pouncing on Harry in a mad grappling match. Once Draco had Harry pinned on the floor Harry' face broke into a grin and he started laughing heartedly causing a start from Draco.

"What are you laughing at Potter?" He sneered getting off the other boy.

"You can't look that fierce when you have," Harry reached up and pulled a clump out of his hair, "Potato and ham in your hair." Draco stared at the other boy mortified.

"My hair?" He asked almost sounding fearful. Harry nodded and tugged Draco down to sit by him, and Harry took up the painstaking task of getting every last piece of food out of Draco's platinum locks.

"That wasn't that bad was it?" Harry asked evenly once the hair was it's usual food free nation.

"I'm going to brutally kill you, bring you back to life, then kill you again." Draco threatened still miffed over his hair.

"You're vainer than a fox, you know that?" Harry asked half amused while clearing the small table of their dishes and bringing them over to the sink. Cleaning his dishes Harry put them on the drying wrack and turned wiping his hands off on a nearby towel, only to get an apron in the face. Draco stood up with all his Malfoy grace and nearly swaggered past the other boy. "A Malfoy I never vain, he is just well groomed." Harry grinned and shook his head putting the apron back on it's wall hanger and followed his friend out of the kitchen.

Turning back to Draco, Harry waved goodbye and started in the opposite direction. With long strides Draco soon caught up with him, "Where are you going?"

"Vocal practice." Harry replied, "There's a voice teacher down in Hogsmeade I see often." He gave Draco a side long glance while they turned the corner, "You don't even attempt the song I sang without having professional tutoring." Draco nodded slowly, it never occurred to him that people that sang well, had a voice teacher. Heading up to the higher levels still Draco asked, "So what does she teach you?"

"She teaches me how to not ruin my voice when I sing, how to prefect and hit the notes I otherwise wouldn't be able to." He shook his head, "Not saying that she extends my range, she just brings out my full potential." Draco nodded, "Among other things, she just helps me relax, musical theatre has always been a great release for me." Harry grinned as they just reached the landing of the doors to the entrance hall, "If anything else, instead of 'Golden Boy' you should have called me 'Thespian Boy.'"

"Thespian?" Draco asked curiously despite himself.

"Someone who is obsessed with theatre.

"Ah."

Draco followed him all the way to the voice teacher's house then sat outside to wait for his friend.


	3. Flight or Fight

**Rating:** PG-13

**Warning:** Slash, maybe. Swearing. Some sexual content and I just mean him getting a boner.

**Song:** 'Empty Chairs at Empty Tables' from Les Mise'rables.

**Couples: **DM/HP

Sorry it took so long! I've been trying to post this chapter for two weeks now. But the document wouldn't load and blah blah, it's up now.

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"Waiting outside by yourself ferret?" 

A voice startled Draco from his seat by the voice teacher's window. A large group of Gryffindor fifth through seventh years stood in front of Draco in a wide half circle surrounding him till his back was against the brick wall. Their leader, Ron Weasley spat on the ground by Draco's feet.

"Where's your groupies death eater?"He sneered drawing his wand from his sleeve and advancing slowly. The other's quickly disarmed the Slytherin youth and the two largest boys at school, fifth year beaters for the Gryffindor quidditch team, grabbed Draco while he fought wildly against him.Even though Draco was no push over in his own right, both physically strong and magically powerful, a harsh blow to the stomach knocked the air out of his lungs and his eyes bulged fighting for a breath.

As Draco's legs fell out from beneath him the crowd cheered and crowed at the youth. A figure broke through the crowd and tried to get to Draco but he was quickly bound and gagged with a few flicks of wands. Panting, Draco down at the ferociously struggling Neville Longbottom. The boy who nearly wet himself whenever Snape came near him, was trying to protect him. Why?

Ron came over and swiftly kicked Neville's body out of the way. The brown haired boy curled into a fetal position and Draco vaguely wondered if the boy's ribs were okay. Still in a somewhat stunned state a hand dipped under his chin and lifted it up to meet the cold eyes of the red headed boy.

Regaining some of his pride, Draco spat in his face. Pain burned through his body and he nearly let a horrified scream tear through his throat as the two who still held his pulled his arms back, and back, and back until they popped out of place. His bruised boy was chucked roughly to the ground and his head smashed into the brick wall.

As Ron's foot was about to come down on Draco's head a bright orange and crackling spell shot past his head. Ron stumbled back and the crowd turned to see a figure in the doorway. Short in stature didn't seem to matter because dark brown eyes glittered angrily and she shook out her short curly red hair streaked heartily with gray.

"A fight? A fight on my property?" Her voice was slurred slightly from a stroke in her youth but none the less, was commanding of presence. "Violent mongrel hooligans!" Several painful burning and binding spells shot out of her wand faster than anyone could blink and soon the crowd was down and gagged staring up at her in pain and fear.

A slightly taller figure shot out of the house finally set free from her stationary spell and went to Draco instantly checking injury for injury. "Boy, get the fat one and the blonde one into the house, we'll fix them there." The boy, who turned out to be Harry, much to the surprise of the Gryffindors nodded and quickly hefted Draco onto his back after cutting the bonds and then went over to Neville and slowly picked the other boy up careful not to joust his ribs.

This was a surprising feat for all who watched but the old woman, whose eyes held approval. When he was about to pass her into the house she stopped him, "Push ups, double amount, every morning, picking up the two of them should have been a snap." Harry nodded feebly and went into the house.

The old woman stepped out onto the tiny porch using her cane, then hobbled down the stairs. Her step sounded hollow when she reached the final landing and those on the ground could see she had a wooden stub of a leg. A muttered spell and a flick of the wand had a parchment in her hand. She mumbled while reading it over, then recited names while looking into each student's eyes for recognition. "Your names are on a list which will be given to the headmaster. Along with information about what you did, and was about to do."

Her gaze poured over the surrounding area, "You're lucky I'm in a secluded part of town, how you found this place I will never know, nor wish to know. Just get out of here before I loose my temper and hang you all in my well by your ankles." She threatened menacingly and let their bindings go. The so called courageous Gryffindors scattered like kittens and the woman grinned viciously before slowly hobbling into her house again.

Harry had put his two fellow seventh years on pallets in her plant workshop. And now he was efficiently binding Neville's ribs which were severely bruised, and some had cracked. Draco watched the boy work silently and Cathy Thornbyrn nodded in approval. "You're getting sloppy boy." She told him in a gruff manner while fixing a few of Harry's errors. Harry nodded silently with a tiny smile on his face, she said, getting sloppy- not you are sloppy, that was a big complement coming from his frumpy teacher.

Standing, she went over to Draco and began her examination on him. "Boy, get your friend the strengthening tonic. Make tea, non caffeinated and put two drops in the brown hair boy's. But first." She gestured to the now green faced Neville. "He's gone into the next stage of shock, nausea. Take him to the bathroom." Harry nodded and helped Neville to his feet and they made their way carefully out of the room.

Cathy turned back to Draco and took his arm in her hand. He expected something painful from her gnarled and bony hands, but the touch was surprisingly gentle, "He obviously cares for you." She said quietly while heaving could be heard faintly from down the hall.

"We're good friends." Draco said in the same manner wincing when she hit a particularly nasty bruise.

She nodded with a hum of agreement before saying, "These will need to be popped back into place. It will hurt but it is necessary. I'll have Potter do it for you."

"Why do you call him that? You always seem to call him Potter or boy, why not Harry." Draco testing out his theory he said, "I can see you care for him."

"Of course I care for him!" She snapped, gently testing the angle for which his shoulder had been popped out of. "I'm not going to cuddle him, nor will I ever." She sighed and leaned back away from her ministrations. "But, no matter how much I despise it, I do concede to the fact that I am not as young as I used to be Harry will be my heir if he so chooses, as I never had children. I will never alienate him, but nor will I wrap him in bubble wrap- that's a muggle mail thing."

Draco nodded, he knew the situation well, Snape and he had it. They cared for each other, but cuddling was just not the Snape or the Malfoy way. In the silence that followed Harry trotted in, silently grabbed the strengthening tonic then trotted out again. Soon he was back tucking the vial neatly back into place as if it never left. Turning to the others, he kneeled down quietly and waited for his next instructions.

"Boy, hold him tightly. I do not want him thrashing about while I fix his arm." Draco was mildly offended but did see the merit to her instructions. As Harry wrapped his arms around Draco's body in a gentle manner Draco's heart beat a little faster but it went unnoticed as Cathy had already started to push.

The pain was agonizing and Draco was forced to shut his eyes and buried his face into Harry's chest. A sharp snap resounded throughout the room and Draco's teeth went through his lip, funny, he never realized he had bit it. The next one wasn't any easier and by the end Draco was sweaty and shaky.

Harry gently put him back down onto the cot and got swabs to help with Draco's mouth. After he finished cleaning the area, Harry put his finger to the abused skin and warmth spread around it. When Harry pulled away Draco put a finger to his lip but he couldn't feel the holes that had once been there.

Cathy sent the three boys out of the house with a wave and a warning to be careful. Neville and Draco were to join Harry on his three nights a week vocal lessons. On the side, the bitter old hag would teach them the spells and defenses she once taught Harry from her aururing days. Once back at the castle the three silently made their way to an old unused classroom and sat down in a stony silence.

"Why did you try to help him?"


	4. Five Points on a Star

**A/N**: I retyped it everyone! Yayyy! It's a good thing I have a photographic memory, or it would have been trouble. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this, this story will be over in five more chapters then a closing one. So, I hope you're enjoying yourself!

**Couples**: HP/DM, RW/HG. And, who else you say? Well, you'll just have to find out by reading don't cha.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Harry Potter.

Have fun!

"Talking"

_'Thinking'_

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"What they were doing was wrong." Neville kept his eyes trained on his clasped hands as he fidgeted in the chair.

"Ron's just gotten worse over the years and now he's no better than," His eyes flicked over to Draco before he realized what he did, then they flashed back to their previous point of interest, "just some people that weren't to kind." Harry and Draco exchanged a look before turning back to the young man before them.

"That was a very kind thing to do," Harry started with Draco throwing in a few lines,

"Very Gryffindor,"

"Yes, Ron-"

"Weasel" Harry glared at Draco who glared right back.

Harry cleared his throat and began again, "That was a very kind and _brave_ thing to do Neville. Yes, Ron's gotten worse hasn't he?" He sighed, "Whatever did happen to him? Fred and George aren't like that . . . " Harry stared at the far wall, a crease marring his pale brow.

"Longbottom." Draco sighed, this was difficult but Longbottom had shown potential, and he had risked his skin for him. "Maybe I had you pegged wrong, maybe. And with that said," Draco averted his eyes, "thanks."

Harry mocked a gasp, "The _Great Draco Malfoy_ thanking somebody? My heart beat still!" He put a hand over his heart as an addition to the sentiment.

"Bugger off, Potter." Draco grumbled glaring at Harry.

"You know, I'm just kidding." Harry grinned slightly.

Draco continued to glare, but it seemed to soften- or was it the light? Neville watched them in veiled fascination, could these two really have been enemies not too long ago?

Neville cleared his throat, "We should be heading to bed now . . . I mean, we do have classes in the morning." Harry and Draco reluctantly nodded, but didn't move to leave. Neville grinned nervously at the two then stood, casting one more shaky glance he left.

Not long after Neville left, Harry and Draco stood to leave. Outside of the classroom it seemed to grow colder and the two huddled together to stay warm. "I should be going," Harry said reluctant to head back to the tower.

"I should be going too."

They nodded at each other and went to cross over each other to go towards their rightful common room. Harry's hand brushed Draco's a little longer than needed, but neither of them noticed. When each one of them reached the end of the hallway they stopped and waved at each other almost cheerfully.

For some reason Draco couldn't find it in himself to turn away from Harry. Mentally hitting himself he nodded once more and turned on his heel down to the dungeons. Harry watched him go, and only when Draco had turned down another hallway did Harry take his leave as well.

After cleaning himself up, Harry put his toiletries back into his truck and crawled into his bed. Closing the curtains, the green-eyed boy leaned back against the soft plush of the bed and started to close his eyes.

'Well, today was certainly something.' A frown marred his features when a snore sounded from the bed across from his- Ron's snore. And then he tugged off his glasses and placed them on the bedside table.

As an old habit, Harry placed his wand under his pillow after casting alarms and wards over his bed. Closing his eyes on final time. Harry fell into a deep and lulling sleep.

The next morning Harry awoke to the sounds of somebody slamming the door behind them. Taking out his wand he performed his morning ritual of scans for hexes and jinxes before finally opening his curtains. Swinging his feet over the side of the bed, Harry let out a low his as his feet hit the cold floor. "I never seem to remember to wear socks to bed. Pity."

He shook his head and used a banister to swing himself up to a standing position. The room swam in his vision, as it often did when one stood up too fast. Harry clutched his head trying to remain steady, and when the vertigo finally passed he looked around the room.

Neville was sitting on his bed, fully clothed and cheerfully reading a new herbology tomb. "Morning Nev'." He yawned. Neville nodded to him before continuing with his morning task. Yawning once more, Harry set about gathering his toiletries and headed for the bathroom.

Once refreshed, Harry dressed and silently headed down the stairs, Neville appearing by his side, silent as well. They walked in a harmonic silence. Upon reaching the great hall, the pair stopped as Draco came towards them from the opposing direction, two people at his back.

"Potter, Longbottom." He acknowledged. "Let me make known to you, Millicent Bulstrode and Blaise Zabini." Each nodded when their name was presented. Millicent was a solidly built stocky woman. Harry saw that as she stood she had a fair balance and was more steady than muscular. Her skin was a tan one got from desert ancestry and she had the dark brown wayward hair to match. Her mouth was full, but with deep-set brown eyes and a man's broad jaw she wasn't what anyone would call exceedingly attractive.

Blaise Zabini seemed to be an opposite counter part. His chocolate brown skin melted into fairly light hair from someone of African decent, and he was a pretty thing. High cheek bones and a sloping curve to his jaw bones gave him a slightly girlish face, and his willowy body almost seemed to sway back and forth, as if moved by a non existent wind. A trim nose and fair eyes with long lashes seemed to almost draw Harry in, but he resisted.

"In return, let me introduce Neville Longbottom." Neville held out a shaky hand and both Slytherins eyed it wearily before clasping it for a firm shake. Neville seemed to twist a smile at the two. "And, I'm Harry." Harry introduced himself without need, but out of a polite gesture. He too shook hands, firm shake for firm shake.

The five now eyed the doors of the Great Hall wearily. "When we step through there, we'll be public enemy number one." Millicent said first, in a deceivingly clear voice. The rest nodded. A light bulb seemed to form over Neville's head, "Hey, Harry." He said tugging Harry's sleeve, before bending down to whisper in the slightly shorter boy's ear. Harry's eyes lightened, and he nodded readily.

After Neville released him, Harry stepped back from the group, and called out clearly. "Dobby. Could you please come here for a moment?" A moment later there was a crack, and the estranged brightly coloured house elf appeared infront of them.

"What can Dobby do for Master Harry Potter. Anything, Dobby will do for Master Harry." He said enthusiastically hopping from one foot to the other. Smiling, Harry crouched down to Dobby's height and whispered something into Dobby's big leathery ears. Immediately Dobby starting nodding and jumping up and down. "Yes, anything for Master Harry Potter, sir!"

Harry nodded, not unkindly and said, "Just remember, exactly like the others." Dobby continued to nod and jump from one foot to the other. "Dobby, stop and look at me." He stopped and stared at Harry with adoring eyes, "Just as _every other_ one." He said firmly and Dobby's ears dropped, but he nodded.

"Yes, sir." He sighed, then brightened, "Anything for Master Harry Potter, sir! Dobby will get right on it, he will." Then, with a crack he was gone.

"Potter, what did you tell the little thing?" Draco asked uncertainly. "Nothing too outrageous, I hope."

"You'll see, you'll see." Harry grinned and moved forward to open the doors to the Great Hall.

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R&R every one!


	5. Damaged Goods

Yes, I still live. Amazing right? More on that at the end. If I owned this, it would not be on fanfiction. Just saying.

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There in the corner of the Great Hall was a small round table with enough room to fit the two Gryffindors and the three Slytherin's . The hall hushed to silence as the five entered and sat down. Ignoring the rather unfriendly welcome the five went about filling their plates. Once the shock had worn off the hall eventually returned to its previous noise level.

"That wasn't so bad." Harry stated evenly while dipping as piece of fruit in a cream whip for added sweetness.

"I was expecting an attempted beat down." Draco replied rather cordially as if they were speaking of the weather and not of violence.

"The day is still young, and Gryffidors are lazy before noon." Blaise said before nodding his head slightly to the two Gryffindors he was seated with, "No offence."

"None taken." Neville said, though his lack of shy behavior surprised those around him.

"So, your teacher, what's her name?" Draco asked through a mouthful of fried tomatoes.

"Cathy Thornbryne," Harry replied after swallowing a particularly crunchy piece of pineapple.

"What's her deal anyway? A healer, singer, and apparently salve maker?" Draco wasn't a fan of jack-of-all-trades, he felt as though you should find one trade and stick by it.

"She went to a magical performing arts school instead of regular schooling, however after the murder of her parents she entered into the auror academy." Harry explained.

"How did she get that slur?" Neville asked, though immediately ducked his head.

'So much for no longer shy.' Harry though ruefully, but stated, "She had a stroke while on the job, she decided that the force was a bit too much action for her, especially if it caused her to stroke and thus she settled down to become a vocal instructor. Many people at the school go to see her actually."

"But how did you find her?" Draco asked still curious.

"It was more like she found me, I was wondering through the outskirts of Hogsmeade and she hobbled up to me and told me that I needed a hobby that would allow me to relax." Harry paused for a moment to take a sip of his milk, "The rest is history I've been taking lessons with her ever since."

The group sitting with him nodded and continued to eat in a peaceful silence until Weasley disturbed it by roughly bumping into Harry's chair.

"How did you manage this scum bucket?" He looked over their neat little table. "Just wait until I tell about this- all the fuss will make you get punished. You worthless piece of trash."

Harry sighed, 'I guess there's no more pretend friendship.' He waved his hand minutely to show the others not to respond or react. The others seemed to shrug nonchalantly, though he could tell that they were far angrier than appearances told.

"Trash- I'm talking to you." He gave a hard thump to Harry's shoulder with his fist.

"I believe I am done eating for the time being. I will see you all later." Harry stood and turned, his eyes passed right through Ronald Weasley and focused on the doors of the Great Hall. With that he strode towards and out of them leaving a fuming red head behind him.

Draco rose slightly in order to teach the Weasel some manners now that Harry was gone, but was held back by Neville's words. "Harry knows what he's doing. He obviously did not want us to react, and it will spoil whatever his plans are if we do." Draco shrugged and sat down as if he had just meant to readjust his seat. Longbottom was most likely right- even if he didn't like it.

Harry smiled sadly upon exiting the Great Hall, truth be told he missed his once great friend. His mouth firmed into a line- if Ron thought that what he was doing was acceptable then he had another thing coming to him.

He had decided when he signaled his friends not to react that if Ron wanted to throw temper tantrums, then he would treat him like any unruly child- he would ignore the existence of him.

And if that didn't work- there was always the sit down in time out version.

A hand tapped him on the shoulder; he turned slightly and was startled to see whom it was. Red rimmed and blood shot eyes starkly stood out against sallow, but also slightly inflamed skin and wild hair.

"Miss Granger," He nodded through his barely apparent surprise- her state was putrid. It was obvious through the enflamed skin that she had stopped taking care of herself in the time since the Great Hall incident. The enflamed skin and red eyes meant she had been crying heavily.

"We need- I need- I mean, I want to-No." She took a deep breath and stood up a little further. "I need to speak to you." He nodded, Harry doubted she had anything-nasty planned- she wasn't that great of an actress.

Entering a cold dark classroom Harry went around and lit each torch with his lighter. "Why do you do it like that?" The question was spoken so softly he almost didn't hear it.

"I cannot do any small feat of magic." Harry answered before sitting down next to her. "If I were to put a light a light, or put it out with magic I would blow it up. I have to do things manually for safeties sake." Hermione looked at him pensively.

"I really haven't been doing much of a good job as friends, have I? To not notice this about you…" She shook her head and Harry refrained from attacking her verbally- she had not been his friend for a very long time. "I am sorry for my actions." She looked up and simultaneously grabbed his hands forcing Harry to look at her. "I am but only human Harry- I make mistakes and as it turns out, rather large and horrible mistakes." He didn't want to look at her- he really didn't. "I am not an old dog, I can learn new tricks and unlearned bad habits. I want a second chance- and I think I am worth it."

"Why do you think you are worth it?" The question came out sounding like it had just slipped out, but nothing he did was ever off the cuff.

"Because, I'm damaged goods. And I've nothing to lose."

Harry thought, they sat in silence while his mind went through pros and cons.

"Fine."

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A/N: I'm not gone! I haven't abandoned. I'm just a college students with two majors and two minors, so I update generally on breaks. I hope you like this, half was written a while ago and the other half just now, so they might not connect well. I really wanted to make Hermione a good guy again, because I really only hate Ron. He has an inferiority complex problem, and I plan on exposing it. Alright, well cheers!


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